Food handling apparatus



March 29, 1932.

H. JOHNSTON 1,851,5Q3;

FOOD HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 1; 1927 l :J so 33 38 Fig. 2

INVENTOR A TTORNE V;

2 Shet-Sheet l March 29, 1932. H. JOHNSTON FOOD HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 1,. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE V that the scope of Patented Mar. 29, 19 32 are stares Pra s HERBERT 1.. JOHNSTON, 1" TROY, 0HIO, assieiron TO THE HOBART nnntrraorron- A: 1 C FP TR LO IO, A CORPORATION or 01110 1 rooniaeunrme ArrAnAaros j Application fiieanu ust 1,111927. 'Serial 1109209314.

This invention relates to motor driven food handling apparatus and more. particularlyto cutting machines of this character.

One of the principal objects-of the inven f motor driven food tion is the provision'o the handling apparatus in which danger to operator is minimized, which construction.

A further object is the piovisionot a safety feature for motor-driven cutting apparatus in which exposure of the cutter is prevented at the time it is rotated by the nioton: .7 Other objects of the invention .Willfbe'ap parent fromthe following. description an from the drawings. i

In the drawings, in whichilike character of reference designate like parts in the several views I Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the safety feature of the present invention, parts being broken away and shown in section;

2 is a top plan view of the parts shown inFigl; e Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the entire'motor driven apparatus; and j s Fig. 4 is a section on the line L- ofFig. 1, but corresponding to the latched position "of the interlock member. a l In the drawings one embodiment of the invention is shown as adapted to motor driven food cutting apparatus of the type and of the construction as generally set forth in my prior application for Letters Patent Serial No. 675,197 entitled Apparatus foodstuffs, filed November 16, 1923. Itwill be apparent however that the' invention can be used in conjunction with other similarmotor'driven apparatusand it is not intended the invention should berestricted to the precise construction illustrated. 1 The apparatus includes generally a container mechanism including abowl or com tainer 10 adapted to receive meat, vegetables or other foodstuffs, and a motor designated 11 positioned adjacent thereto and driving: or rotatingsuitable cutting knives 12 which op erate within the bowl, the two being so mounted with relationto each other that they may maybe safely. and easily operated, and which is simple in i 'p'ositionwithin the-bowl. r

such shapethat section 20 "may axis to forma closure together with the lions,

the motor assembly and for preparing *tric starting and stopping may be be relatively moved to withdraw the knives outof the bowl and permit'access thereto. .Preferably the container and motor are both base 15', the motor,

as shown, being pivoted at apoint 13 on they-J mounted upon a commonbase adjacentand below thecenter of gravity soithat the motor assembly may be tilted to wlthdr aw the knives from The container alsoaincludes in addition the bowl 1'0- atop enclosure section orcover ypa'rtQO which may be hinged-at one side of at 21 and which not w when the motor assembly is in the bowl as indicated its operative cutting position the enclosure be lowered about its hinged ing '22of the motor assembly and thus cover 1 at least partof the bowland protecttheuopthe rotatableknives and also re- :tain the food within the bowl.

erator from 7 I i T-he;bowl may be maderotatableand for this vpurposesuitable driving gears may be mounted wlthin-the base 'and connectedto i Y be driven by theclutch or transmission member 25. Thisclutch member'is adapted to be engaged when the motor assembly is in 0perative cutting position by a driving clutch member 26 supported from the housing suitably connected to the motor drive shaftQ'T-as more particularly, set forth in my prior applicationreferred'to. Thuswhen the motor assembly is moved so that the knives are in V positionwithin the bowl the members 25 and 26 are engaged and power is transmittedfrom bowl as the cutter is revolved therein. Y

paratus as perfectly fool-proof a'spossible, nie'ans is provided which prevents the cutters or knives from. being rotated by the'motor nnlessthe cover section'is'in its lowered pro tective position. b As more clearly shownin 1F igs. 1 and 2 the housing QQsupportsan elecswitch i 30: which manually operated from the position shown in full lines in Fig. Q-in whichthe mo their operative their cuttmg tor 'is running, to the position shown in dotthe motor shaft to cause the rotation of the 7 stopped. It will switch 30 ted lines in that figure in which the motor is be noted that when the is in the on position shown in full lines the part 31 of the switch isin the path of movement of a sliding interlock member 32 which is guided to slide Within the housing 22. The side plate 33 of the housing 22 which may be attached. in place by suit+ able screws 36, has a rearsurface 3 1- against a which the side face 35 of the locl'rmemb'e'r '32 slides, this portion"o'f'the'side plate 33 h'av ing a slot 38 in which a pin 39 may be moved.

This pin 39 moved from the position shownin Figs. 1 and 2 i-fthe switch is in the "dotted line position and the motor stopped. When the interlock and'lockfed in adjusted position by a nut43;

member 32 land 2 its outer end 40 overlies a. portion of the coverpart 20 suchas the flange jlwhich C :is preferably provided with an adjustable screw member 42threa'ded in the flange v41 When the cover part 201's inrits normal opera'tingposition closing over the cutters, the interlock member 32 in the normal position; i thus prevent open .in'g movement of the cover part 20 and thus shown inFigs. 1 and2 will prevent the exposure of the cutting knives.

. It will thus beapparent that before the op"- erator can open the movable partorcover sectioniof the container mechanism 20 he must first push the interlock member 32 to the left as viewed in these figuresfby pressingagainst the pin 39. Howeveryhe cannot do this which the motor is "unless the switch "30 "by started, in its'dotted' linerzposition corresponding to the stopped position of the motor; "so 'he-iscompelled to stop the :motor by 3 suitable operation 'Qf-thesWitch, before he terlockmember 32. The latch 45 has a projecting'nose extending outside of the housing 22 and positioned immediately below the interlo ck 'member 32 an d extending sufficient.- lyf'ar so that it may be engaged bythe end of the flange 41 of the cove'rlpart 20, when this cover section is in its'normal closingposition as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this posi- 'tion then the flange on the cover is inengagementwiththe nose50 of the'latch so that the latter is held out of engagement with the interlock member, but as's'oonas the'hous'a ing sefction is'open-ed after the interlock member hasbeen moved to the left thedatch 45v l point 13 so that the is fixed to the side'st of the lock member 32 and projects totheexterior of the side plate 33so that it may be manually the latch 45 from is inthe position shown in Figs.

open. ,He is thus pressed plunger 47's0 scope of-the invention the class described, crat ng said cutter,

is released from itsjengagement with th'e flange 41 ofthe cover 20 and the interlock member 32 will be held in its inner position until the coversection' 20 is again closed.

, After the opening of the cover 20 the motor assembly maybe swung about the pivot knives are Withdrawn from their operative position within the bowl and thus access is permitted to the interior of the bowl for tlie removalof the food stuffs or for cleaning portant that they be maintained stationary at thistime. -When the cover section 20 is in its open position the interlock member 32 is .a't'thejextreme left of its movement and in thisposition the operator is prevented by I moving the switch 30 "to the full line position shown in Fig. 2 so that it isi mpossib-le for him to start thevmotor.

stationary andfdanger of cutting the operator is minimized The construction of the interlookand safety parts of the invention are su'ch thatmanual startingof the motor; when kthe knives are exposec cult as possible so that fool-proof F or ithis mem'be1'- 32"issmade ra-ther-gwideas shown in purpose theinterlock Fig. 2' and: its over the progecting nose 50 projecting-end is immediately in :Fig. 4 has asharpupperyedge 55; Thus 32 and the sharp. upper sur-face or knife.

onsequently the cutting knives must remain is rendered as diffithe machine will be r r v I "of the latch mem- I ber 45, and furthermore,th s nose 5'0 asjshown f the smallspace betweennose 50 and member 7 edge on the lnosei50 makes'it as 'c lificult as f possible for the operator Tto'pressthe exposed nose of the latch member 'down' to rel-ease' the interlockmember 32 when the cover 20 is I While the form ofappa-ratusherein 'de scribed constitutes a not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein withoutfdepartingxfroin the which is definedin'the appended claims.

lVhatis claimed is: w 1. In a motor driven cutting apparatus of a motor startingswitch, meansmovab'le -sep arately from said motor starting switchto a position preventing operation of the switch to start the motor, sald means normally overlyinga portion of said cutter. cover to prevent movement of said cutter cover froniits normal position coveringsaid cutter.

cutting apparatus ofthe class described, a cutter, a motor] a movableco'ntainerv 2. :In a motor driven food for operating said cutter,

prevented from starting the' op eration of the motor rby closi ng the starting switch 30 when the'cuttingknives are exposed and .in dangerous position.

preferred embodiment Z of the invention, it is to be understood that the-invention is a movable 'cuttencover,

75 purposes. The knives j p in this position are exposed so that 1t is imbeing inserted part, a motor starting switch, and a member 'manually movablev separately from said a movable container part, a motor starting switc lock means movable to prevent operation of the switch to cause the starting of the motor, said means normally preventing. movement of said container I part from its normal position, latch means for holding said lock means in position preventing motor starting movement of said switch, and means on said movable container part for releasing said latch means.

4. In a motor driven cutting apparatus of the character described, a cutter, a motor for operating said cutter, a movable cutter cover, a motor control switch, lock means positioned to prevent movement of said cutter cover from its protective position enclosing the cutter when said motor control switch is closed, said parts being constructed to prevent movement of said lock means to cover releasing position as long as said motor control switch is closed. a

5. In a motor driven apparatus of theclass described, a revoluble member, an electric motor for revolvin container part for protecting said member, a motor starting switch, a shiftable member manually movable from a pos'tion in the path of movement of said container part to position preventing motor starting movement of said switch, and latch means hold ng said member in position preventing motor starting movement of said switch, said latch means being positioned relatively inaccessible for manual operation. i

6. In a motor driven apparatus of the class described, a food container bowl, a revoluble member in said bowl, an electric motor for operating said member, a movable cover part, a manually operable motor starting switch, a slide adapted to be manually operated from a position preventing movement of said cover part to a-position preventing motor starting movement I of said switch, latch means for holding said slide in the latter position, said latch means being positioned close to said slide to prevent afinger of the operator from between the latch means and slide and presentinga sharp upper surface adapted to be depressedby closing movements of said cover part to permit the release of said slide. i 7. In food handling apparatus of the char acter described, having a container mechanism with a movable container part, a food treating member normally covered within by said container part, and an electric motor having a motor a the class described, acutter', a motor for op- .ei'ating said cutter,

treatingmember I ber mounted-for relative movement with re- V spect to said movable container motor control switch, said :inember, in onepo- If said member, a movablezmitting actuation treating member a manually; operable -member mounted for-relative,movementwith respect to said movable container part and said motor controlswitch, said member in one position of its movement preventingmovement of saidmovable container parttrom its normal operating position covering said food treating member while permitting actuation as desired of said motor control switchyand ing movement of said motor control switch to motor circuit closingposition while peramttmgactuatmn as desired of sa d movable container part.

8. In food handling apparatus of the character described, havingra container mechanismwith a movable-container part, a food treating member said container mechanism bysaidcontainer part, and an electric motor having a normally covered within motor vcircuit control switch for driving; said food i v .in another position of its movement preventa circuit controlswitch for-driv ng said food 7 a manually operablevm'empart and said sitionof its movement preventing movement of said movable container partfrom its normal operating pOsitimicovermg said food treating member while permitting actuation as desired or saidmotorcontrol switch, and

ts movement preventin another positionof ing movement of sa d motor control switch to motorc rcuit. closing position while percontai-ner part, and latch means for holding said manually oper'ablemember in said latter position, said, latch -means being automatically releasable upon movement of said movable container part toit-s normal operating position,

treating member normally covered within said container" mechanism by said container part, and an electr c motor having a motor as desiredof said movable having a container mecha circuit control switch for driving said food treating member; a m anually operable member mounted for relative movement with respect to said movable container part and said motor control switch, saidmember in one position of its movement preventing movement of said movable container part from its normal, operating position covering said food treating meinber'while permitting actuation as desired of said motorcontrolswitch, and

in another position of its movement preventi'ng movement of said motor control switch to motor circuit closing position while permitting actuationas desired'ofsaid movable container part, and latch means for holding said manually operable member in said latter positioinsaid latch means being construct- "to motor circuit closing mittlng actuationas desired of said moved and arranged to. renderdiflicult manual act-nation thereof to release position. 3

' 10; In food handling apparatus of the character described,'-having a container mechanism with a movable container part, a food treating member normally covered within said containermechanism by said container an electric motor havmg'a'motor c rcuit,- control sw tch for drivingsaid food part, and

treating member; a manually operable membe! mounted forre'lativ'e movement with respect to said movable container part and said motorcontrol switch, said member in one position ot its movement preventing movement of said movable container part *from its nor inal operating'position covering said food treating member while permitting actuation as desired of said motorcontrol switch, and in another position of'i-ts movement preventv i-ng movement of said motor control switch able container part latch means for holding said'manually operable member in saidlat terposition spring mean's for urging said latch means into holding when said 'movable v container part 7 is moved to-its normal operating position.

11. In toodcuttmg mechanism "of the character with a pivoted cov'er,"a cutting knife mount-- 'ed'for rotation withineaid container and, normally itric motor havinga-niotor circuitco'ntrol covered bysaid cover and an elecswitch for 'rotatingsa-id cutting kni te and container; rela'tively'movable between said switch and 1 said cover, said interlock being movable from a position in which it overlies a cooperating part of SEIICl cover and prevents movement of thecoverto a position exposing said knife,

to a second positionin which the interlock cooperates with said switch to prevent movement thereof to a position closing said. motor circuit, the movement of said interlock from said one position to said second position be ing prevented so long as said switch is in motor circuit closing position. n

3 12. In food handling apparatus of the character described, havinga container with a I movable cover portion,-a'food treating member normally covered within said container by said 'cover'portmn; and an electric motor having a motor'circuit control switch for driving said food treating member; ameniber mounted for; relative movement with respect to said cover portion and said motor control switch said member inflone position of its movement preventing movement of said cover portion "from its normal position covering said food'treating member, and in another position of its movementpreventing movement of said motor control switch to motor circuit closing ing for movement of me'ans for-latching position while per- 1 v v position, and means movable with saidmovablejcontainer part for automatically releasing said latch means described, having a rotatable container a' 'manually operable interlock position while prov-id said cover portion,and saidmember in one of said positions."

v V In testimony-whereof .I hereto atfix my signature, V is V.

- HERBERT JOHNSTON. 

